ISIS Claims Responsibility for Paris Shooting

Police take positions near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, France, after a fatal shooting in which a police officer was killed along with an attacker, Thursday, April 20, 2017. French media are reporting that two police officers were shot Thursday on the famed shopping boulevard. Many police vehicles can be seen on the avenue that passes many of the city's most iconic landmarks. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

The Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group has claimed responsibility for Thursday's shooting in Paris on the Champs-Élysées.

The attack left one police officer dead and two other officers severely injured.

According to ISIS news agency Amaq, the shooter was Abu Yusuf al-Beljiki, USA Todayreports. The American-based organization SITE Intel Group, who monitors terror activities and communications on the Internet, found the ISIS claim for al-Beljiki's actions.

French authorities say the targeting of police was intentional in this terrorist attack.

Since the shooting, there was speculation as to whether the shooting was a random criminal incident in a major city or whether terrorism played a role. Paris and the entirety of France has been attacked before in ISIS-claimed incidents, including a truck attack in Nice and bombings and shootings in Paris.

Thursday's shooting comes as France is engaged in a presidential election. Four main candidates are in close contention, with Marine Le Pen drawing the most attention. Le Pen has spoken out against immigration and recently said that she would suspend all immigration into the country.

Jack HeretikEmail Jack | Full Bio | RSSJack is a Media Analyst for the Washington Free Beacon. He is from Northern Ohio and graduated from the Catholic University of America in 2011. Prior to joining the Free Beacon, Jack was a Production Assistant for EWTN's The World Over and worked on Sen. Bill Cassidy's 2014 campaign.